Commander Cathy Shepard
Origins Those born to wealth and power are born to lead, and it is not unusual for the command staff of a regiment to be drawn from the noble classes of a world, where their natural authority can be put to best use. On other worlds, the military arts are the preserve of the ruling classes only; this produces highborn regiments, whose wealth and prestige find them well-equipped, and placed on the front lines of many a battlefield. Catherine III of House Shepard was born to lead one such regiment, the infamous 103rd Karmic Krusaders, a unit known as much for its smug arrogance as for its recklessness in deployments. Disaster would strike at the heart of the regiment after the Battle - or rather Bloodbath - of Teutoburg Forest, where the entirety of their ranks would be brought to the brink of extinction. Taking part in the battle as a sergeant, Catherine served under of Lord-Commissar Varus Publius (posthumously dubbed the Defeated) who forbid the interruption of a Slaaneshi cultist ritual. It is said that the Lord-Commissar wished not only to crush the cultists, but to discourage future insurrections by showing that even if the summoning goes their way, cults of Chaos cannot triumph on Imperial soil. His last known words in Imperial records say, "It is not about smashing decadent little acolytes, it's about sending a mesasge." The 5 Daemonettes that materialised behind him had something else in mind, and due to the hubris of one man soon the entire unit was cut down, seduced by the shapely curves of their executioners. Unphased by such charms, Catherine and a handful of female priests managed to contain the situation, besting the vixens in close combat, and having to perform summary executions on the weak-willed men who bowed to the Temptresses of Teutoburg. A Pyrrhic victory if there ever was one; yet nonetheless victorious, Catherine and her priestesses were promoted to the rank of Commander. Even today, waking up in cold sweats at night, they can sometimes be heard crying out, "Varus, give me back my regiment!!" While decimated, they refused to be merged into another Imperial regiment, instead choosing to spread out through the Imperium to warn guardsmen everywhere of the perils of the Warp. Now Catherine has been assigned to lead the 69th Metal Boxers into battle, but will they overcome the sins of the fathers, or is history doomed to repeat itself? Stats Wounds: 12 Feht: 1 Insanity: 5 Skills + Talents Current aptitudes: Fellowship, Intelligence, Leadership, Social, Toughness, Weapon Skill, +10 personal Logistics. Skills: Command +10 (Fel) (roll 50), Inquiry (Fel) (roll 40), Parry +10 (WS) (roll 69 :smug:), Athletics (S), SLore (Tactics), CLore (Creed, Imperium, Administratum), Linguistics (High Gothic) (Int), Operate (Surface). Lewt Stuff: Laud Hailer, Micro-bead, Filtration Plugs, Tools, Rations, Blanket, etc Detailed Progression ' Initial aptitudes as a Sergeant:' Defence, Fellowship, Leadership, Perception, Strength, Toughness, Weapon Skill. Skills gained: Command (Fel), SLore (Tactica Imperialis) Talents gained: Weapon Training (Chain, Las, Low-tech) Homeworld: Highborn, -3reg, CLore (Administratum), High Gothic (Int), Inquiry (Fel), -10 to Charm, Inquiry, Deceive interactions between Lowborn and PC, +10 between Highborn and PC, +10 Logistics (only self), Peer (Nobility). Commander: Maverick, -2reg, currently Colonel Wilhelm Strasse, Resistance (Fear) Regiment Type: currently Mechanised Infantry, -3reg, Operate (Surface) (Ag), Rapid Reload, 2 Frag + 2 Krak. Training: Close-order Drill, -2reg, Double Team Moar Training: Close Quarters, -5reg, Combat Master, +10 BS when firing point-blank, my knife is mono. Drawback: Scarred by Loss, +3reg, +5 Insanity Points, failing WP by 3 or more DoF also stuns for 1 turn. Read origin for detailed backstory.